The next morning, Kagome awoke, once again, to arms around her torso. "YOUKO!" she screamed, jumping out of the sleeping bag. "DAMMIT YOUKO WHY DO YOU KEEP DOING THAT?"

"Because you looked cold last night," he said "innocently". "I mean, you were shaking…"

"Shut up," she hissed, not that everyone wasn't watching already.

"Of course Kagome was shaking," Sango came to her defense. "It's cold here at night, you know…"

"And that's my point. Ladies like Kagome-dono, and you for that matter, should not be left cold during the night." He barely dodged the Hiraikotsu thrown at him.

Kagome's BROWN (why does everyone call them blue?) eyes suddenly snapped open. "Kagome?" asked Sango, bewildered. "What's wrong?"

"Jewel shards, to the north," she said with a distant look on her face.

"Well what are you waiting for?" asked Inuyasha, bending so Kagome could climb on his back.

"So that you could get over being constipated?" suggested Youko, looking at the Inu Hanyou with a perplexed expression.

"No, I'm waiting for Kagome to get on my back!" he said, sneering that he knew something the arrogant fox didn't.

Youko looked back and forth between the two. "Um…I will carry Kagome-dono," he said, picking her up bridal style (I swear that's what it's called, don't kill me!).

Kagome blushed and squeaked slightly.

"North, huh?" asked Youko, running quickly but, to Kagome's astonishment, smoothly in that direction.

The group arrived at the clearing. Inuyasha's mouth dropped open. "Not you again, Sesshomaru!" he yelled.

Youko's ears flicked against his head briefly at the volume. "I assume the Hanyou wishes to fight you?" he asked Sesshomaru.

"My half brother," he answered. The two were sending death glares out of cold, golden eyes at each other.

"I feel for you…maybe…in a way…not."

"I am going to kill you, kitsune."

"Try it, Inu."

"WAIT ONE MOMENT THIS IS MY BATTLE!" yelled Inuyasha. Both Youkai glared at him, Youko summoning grasses and wrapping him to a tree.

"At least you're good for something, thief," muttered the dog demon.

"Hn, can't say the same to you, lord," he said, still glaring. Gently, he set Kagome down on her feet and sent her behind him.

"What? But…I can fight!" she protested.

"Not against this guy."

"Have you settled out your marital issues?" asked Sesshomaru in a bored voice. "Because I'm ready to fight." Youko showed no sign of discomfort at being called married to Kagome, but she was blushing bright red. Youko stepped into a fighting stance.

"THAT'S MY FIGHT!" yelled Inuyasha through his bindings, but neither youkai paid attention.

Sesshomaru slashed with his energy whip, which was blocked with the slice of Youko's rose whip. Kagome watched in horror, terror, and awe as they continued to fight, almost perfectly matched in speed and grace. It was so different from watching Inuyasha or Kouga fight. Inuyasha went forward slicing his sword randomly and managed to kill the demon. Kouga had a bit more control, but it was still punches and kicks. She had to admit, though, that Kouga was fast, possibly faster than these two. She took another look at the two.

Okay, maybe Kouga wasn't…

After quite a bit of eye straining battle eve to watch, Youko caught the demon lord in a small tangle of weeds. It wouldn't have been hard to dodge or break if he had been looking for it, but he had been focusing completely on Youko's whip. He glared as Youko's whip joined the grass, cocooning him.

Youko turned with a flourish and a bow to Kagome. "So, Kagome-dono, what do you wish me to do with him?"

"Uh…" she was shocked for a few moments before she ran to Sesshomaru and grabbed the jewel shards. She then looked at him, confused. "Sesshomaru, I thought you didn't care for these things."

"I had heard that a new demon had joined your posse. I decided this was probably the only way to get a fight with him." He glared at Youko.

In the back, Inuyasha boiled with anger. Damn fox for stealing his fight. His glory. And the damn fox was trying to steal his girl.

That one stopped him for a moment. 'Wait a minute…when did I start thinking of Kagome as my girl…? Whatever, she is, and that means that he's trying to steal her!' he finished angrily. He decided not to think much more; it was hurting his head.

"Kagome-dono, what do you want me to do with him?" asked Youko again.

"Um…I don't know…"

"Well, do you want me to kill him or let him go?" he asked, ignoring the daggers that Sesshomaru was glaring at him.

"Oh, don't do that! If those are the choices let him go!" said Kagome in a high-pitched, worried voice.

"All right," he said, slightly regretfully. He untied him, but stood protectively in front of Kagome until his cloud lifted him up and away. Then Kagome came over to him and began inspecting him for wounds.

"Humph, as though I'd let him hurt me," Youko scoffed.

"Then what's this?" she asked wryly, holding up a hand to show the burn crossing over it.

"A burn from where I caught the whip for about half a second," he answered nonchalantly, as though it didn't matter.

Kagome put her hands around his and healed his palm as Youko looked at her confused; Sango shook her head with a wry smile, Inuyasha glared, and Miroku looked at Sango.

"Sango dear, I'll heal your wounds," he suggested in an "innocent" voice.

"Hentai," she said calmly, bonking him on the head with her Hiraikotsu.

"Oh, but Sango dear…" he trailed off at the glare she was sending his way.

Youko walked with the rest of the group as they looked for a place to camp nearby. Looking around, he raised an eyebrow. "I know of a place," he offered.

"Don't listen to him Kagome, he's lying," said Inuyasha grumpily.

"I assure you that I am not lying."

"Heh, then why don't you prove it?"

"I was planning on it," he said coldly. He walked into the forest.

Kagome followed behind him. The plants kept getting in the way, and at one point she tripped on the roots and fell straight into Youko's back. Youko turned and took her hand, letting her balance on him.

They soon arrived at a large cave. Plants spilled out everywhere, but they neatened themselves up when Youko glared at them. Kagome's chocolate brown eyes stared at it in wonder.

"Wh-whose is it?" she asked, thunderstruck.

"Mine, just a summer cave. It might be slightly cold at this time of year, I'm sorry about that."

"Oh, it's wonderful!" Kagome ran inside and began admiring the flowers, which Youko sternly told not to snap at her. Inuyasha humped and jumped up to sleep in a tree on the outside of the cave, away from the smirking kitsune. Youko looked back at the demon slayer and the monk.

"Come on, it's much better inside, and there's plenty of room."

"Yes, come in, Sango," Miroku said, putting an arm around her waist to lead her in.

Sango twitched.

"HENTAI!" she yelled, slamming her boomerang down on his head. Youko eyed the twitching pile of half unconscious monk, shook his head, and walked into the cave.

Once inside, he saw Kagome sitting serenely on a patch of grass, eyes closed as she leaned against a tree. He summoned a bouquet of purple irises with some white baby tulips, and a few sprigs of baby's breath and mint. He bowed and produced it to her.

Opening her eyes, Kagome saw a beautiful bouquet in front of her. "Oh, they're beautiful!" she gushed, taking the bouquet to admire it. "Thank you, Youko!"

"You're welcome," he said, seating him next to her. He noticed her drooping eyelids and put his arm around her, pulling her to his chest.

"But-what are you?"

"Go to sleep, it's all right," he said softly in his low, rolling voice. "Just get some rest."

His voice lulled her to sleep, and her eyes drooped and closed. She was asleep within 2 minutes. Youko smiled down at her, leaned his head on hers, and slept as well. His skills were seducing him well, but that odd feeling kept bubbling up, as though she were so much more important than the other demonesses he had seduced before. He settled into a light sleep, keeping an ear open for dangers. Nothing would hurt his miko, he thought as he fell asleep.